COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION34% ale brewed with honey, raisins and rosemary and aged in bourbon barrels
33% ale aged in bourbon barrels
33% ale with raisins and aged in wine barrels
In July of 2009, the Matts and a couple of the guys flew down from Seattle to tour our hallowed halls in San Marcos, CA. In our barrel room they were drawn to brandy barrels of Angelís Share, port barrels of Serpentís Stout and red wine barrels of Gift of the Magi with brett. There were others, but as with all blends, itís best to leave some things to the imagination (or the taste buds for that matter).

UPDATED: MAR 26, 2011 750ml bottled shared at dlday 2010 and i wish i had more of a recollection on this one.... poured a slightly transparent caramel brown with a thin tan head... aroma was slightly acidic with some cherry, vinegar, vinous notes, and a bit of chocolate from serpentís stout... flavors werenít too distinct in any way. a bit tart, a tad sweet and a nice combination of flavors lended from the blend of base brews. body was smooth with light carbonation. must try this one again in a more subdued setting.

Finaly got a chance to retaste this.... appearance pretty much the same. sharp yet semi-earthy vinegar and sour cherry , some wood aging for sure comes through adding some balance.... flavors are sharp with acidity yet dry while adding notes of sour cherry, wood, and vinegar aspects. completely sour and assertive to that regard. carbonation is high with a medium body.

Bottle: The aroma consists of sour cherries, cola, and faint vinegar. It pours an orangish-orange with a small off-white head. The flavor starts with sour cherry, cola, and a hint of chocolate. The finish has some light vinegar and a touch of oak. Medium bodied with lively carbonation.

2010-07-03. Very dark brown black body with a large foamy beige head and lace. Aroma is mild at first, lightly musty and mild fruit, red wine. Muted wood touches as it warms. 7+ Flavour is quite sour at first, vinous middle, notes of red wine in the finish, hints at raisins that could be inferred from the bottle. Muted spices make occasional visits, but struggle to rise above the pervasive sour core. 7+ Smooth average plus palate is lightly carbonated having expended much of the carbonation in a lovely pour. 3+ Very solid sour but a smaller bottle would have been sufficient. 2009 Vintage Bottle at Brouwers, Seattle

Bottle Thanks to ditmier. Pours out dark brown topped with a creamy tan head. Aroma of sweet cherries, brown sugar, caramel, and pit fruit. Taste much as the aroma lots of tasty cherry sweetness. Along with a good tart bite and some oak lingering on the end.

UPDATED: JUL 7, 2010 Rating #1500. 750mL into LA raster tulips. Gusher! Pours a deep mahogany, deep ruby brown that looks opaque in the glass topped by a massive tan head that has excellent retention and leaves giant poof balls of lace everywhere. Nose is all over the place as the blend in this is already crazy enough. There are red grapes, white grapes, red wine (port), raisins, milk chocolate, caramel, slight brandy. Overall hints to what is about to be a sour, acetic, citric concoction. Taste is also all over the place. Massive citrus tartness overlay a complex blend that seems like maybe it would have been a better beer non-soured. The blend is high in carbonation, loaded with lemony tartness, dry French oak, tawny port, Gift of the Magi herbal characters, red wine vinous character, more drying barrel character, nice cocoa and sweet chocolate to offset the dry wood and vinous qualities. It is very good, fun to drink, but too much lemon tartness and loses the rich body of the Angelís Share etc. from having all residual sugars wiped out by the Brett, lacto. Closest thing to this would be Veritas 003 or Oerbier Reserva 2006.

Dark cherries on the nose with mint, very herbal aromas with oak notes as well. Pours dark brown with an off white head. Tart and creamy with wine-like flavors and hints of milk chocolate. The flavor is very spicy and funky with a very dry finish. Excellent!

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